HOL 1 BOARD OF WORKS, HOLBORN DISTRICT. METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACT, Thirty-ninth Annual Report of the PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD, For the Year ending Lady-day, 1895. LONDON: PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE BOARD. 1895. Board of Works-Holborn District. Holborn Town Hall, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., Sir, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the inst., which shall have my early attention. Your obedient Servant, W. A. BOND, M.D., Medical Officer of Health to the Board. THE BOARD OF WORKS for the HOLBORN DISTRICT. STATEMENT AND ACCOUNT OF THE AMOUNT OF ALL CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO, AND OF ALL MONEYS RECEIVED AND EXPENDED BETWEEN 25th MARCH, 1894, AND 25th MARCH, 18051; and also of ALL ARREARS OF RATES AND MONEYS OWING TO, AND MORTGAGES AND LIABILITIES OWING BY THE HOARD ON THE 25th MARCH, 1895; and a REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD IN THE EXECUTION OF THE ACTS FOR THE BETTER LOCAL MANAGEMENT OF THE METROPOLIS; and of the WORKS COMMENCED AND COMPLETED IN THE AFORESAID PERIOD AND THE WORKS REMAINING IN PROGRESS; also of the PROCEEDINGS UNDER "THE PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT, 1891," FOR ABATEMENT OF NUISANCES AND FOR IMPROVEMENTS OF THE SANITARY CONDITION OK THE DISTRICT; together with a copy of the ANNUAL REPORT MADE TO THE BOARD BY THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AND THE PUBLIC ANALYST FOR THE DISTRICT. LONDON: Printed by Order of the Hoard of Works for the Holborn District, BY WITHERBY & CO., 326, HIGH HOLBORN, W.C. 1895. HOL 1 We, George Bendon, John P. Fearon, and Edward T. Hitchcock, the Auditors appointed by the Board of Works for the Holborn District to examine and audit the Accounts of the said Board, for the period from the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895, having carefully examined the Accounts of the said Board, for the period aforesaid, and the vouchers in support of the same, and the books relating thereto, Do hereby Certify and Declare, That we have this day audited the said Accounts of the said Board, at their offices, situate at the Holborn Town Hall, in the County of Middlesex, in pursuance of the provisions of "The Act for the better Local Management of the Metropolis," and that the said Accounts are correct, and we do allow the same accordingly, and sign the same in token of such our allowance thereof. Given under our hands this Twenty-first day of May, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-five. EDWARD T. HITCHCOCK, GEO. BENDON, JOHN P. FEARON, Auditors of Accounts Offices of the Board, holborn Town Hall, Gray's Inn Road, W.C. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. GEORGE PHILLIPS, Esq., J.P. COMMITTEES. COMMITTEE OF WORKS. Chairman—Mr. SOLOMON JACOBS. Mr. G. E. Cross Mr. G. S. Brewster „ W. Frankland „ R. G. Bubb „ B. Garrod „ G. Migotti „ A. A. Harston „ J. Wells „ T. G. Hawkins „ Geo. Phillips, J.P. Rev. fk. Thorne „ Vokins Mr. J. Trenner „ h. M. Clark „ J. E. Wood „ James Lee „ A. T. Rapkin „ James H. Edwards „ T. S. Bennett „ d. G. Staight Meeting Thursday prior to Hoard Meeting at 10. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Chairman—Mr. EDWARD HAGGER. Mr. G. E. Cross Mr. J. E. Wood „ B. Garrod „ R. G. Bubb „ T. G. Hawkins „ J. Wells „ H. E. Holmes „ Wm. Gale „ Robt. Madewell „ James H. edwards „ Wm Latte „ J. Podzus „ D. G. Staight ,, A. Vokins Meeting usually Thursday nearest to Quarter Day at 6 p.m. SANITARY COMMITTEE. Chairman—Mr. SOLOMON JACOBS. Mr. C. W. Denny Mr. Girardo Migotti „ T. G. Hawkins Rev. E. Canney „ Joseph Trenner Mr. Geo. Phillips, J.P. ,, j. E. Wood „ A. T. Rapkin „ T. S. bennett „ W. Gale „ R. G. Bubb „ E. Johnson „ Alfred Hoare „ Edwards Meeting Thursday after the Board Meeting at 10.30. LAW AND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE. Chairman—mr. JOSEPH TRENNER. Mr. C. W. Denny Mr. J. Podzus „ S. Jacobs Rev. E. Canney „ W. Latte Mb. Geo. Phillips, J.P. „ J. E. Wood „ A. W. Vokins „ G. S. Brewster „ H. M. Clark „ R. G. Bubb Meeting called as occasion requires. IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE. This Committee consists of all the Members of the Board. Meeting annually usually First Thursday in December. STATEMENT AND ACCOUNT of the AMOUNT OF ALL CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO, AND OF ALL MONEYS RECEIVED AND EXPENDED, BETWEEN 25th MARCH 1894, AND 25th MARCH, 1895. 8 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Dr. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. GENERAL £ S. d. £ s. d. Balance in the Treasurer's hands at Lady-day, 1894 4,034 19 2 „ „ Surveyor's hands on Paving Account 68 2 5 „ „ „ „ Inspector's Salary Account 6 3 8 4,109 5 3 Payments under Precepts. Received of the United Parishes of St. Andrew, Holborn, above Bars, and St. George the Martyr 23,077 13 7 ,, ,, Liberty of Saffron Hill, Hatton Garden, and Ely Rents 7,860 18 2 „ „ Parish of St. Sepulchre, Middlesex 4,245 2 6 „ ,, Liberty of Glasshouse Yard 1,177 5 5 36,360 19 8 Payments under Precepts for Library Rate. „ „ United Parishes 416 7 4 ,, ,, Parish of St. Sepulchre, Middlesex. 99 7 10 „ „ Liberty of Saffron Hill 312 7 1 ,, „ ,, Glasshouse Yard 14 10 1 872 12 4 Incidental Receipts. „ „ Gray's Inn 75 0 0 „ „ Public Companies, and for Vacant Spaces Enclosed 759 13 10 „ for hire of Town Hall 1,455 15 0 ,, Fees for Infections Disease Notification 20 17 6 „ Fines and Costs under Food and Drugs Acts 6 0 0 ,, Fines and Costs under Public Health London Act, 1891. 5 2 0 „ of the London County Council moiety of Sanitary Inspectors' Salaries . 125 1 11 ,, Interest on Bank account . 27 16 3 2<???>75 6 6 Carried forward £4,818 3 9 9 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. Cr. ACCOUNT. £ s. d. £ 3. d. Separate Charges. Paid the Expenses of the Vestry of the Parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, above Bars 15 19 3 „ Ditto, St. George the Martyr 12 6 0 28 5 3 Lighting. „ The Gas Light and Coke Company 2168 10 6 Paving the District. „ Wages—Carriageways— „ Midsummer, 1894 255 5 3 „ Michaelmas „ 240 6 8 „ Christmas „ 239 3 9 „ Lady-day, 1895 167 7 10 „ Valde Travers Asphalte Company, Limited, contracts and maintenance 1998 15 9 „ The Improved Wood Pavement Company, ditto 101 17 2 „ Wm. Griffiths 8 15 0 „ French Asphalte Company 567 10 0 „ J. Mowlem & Co. 9 1 6 Total Carriageway Paving 3588 2 11 £ s. d. Paid Wages—Footways— „ Midsummer, 1894 112 4 9 „ Michaelmas „ 128 3 8 „ Christmas ,, 127 8 7 112 8 8 „ J. Mowlem & Co., Paving 171 2 2 „ Wm. Griffiths 522 11 5 „ ThePatentVictoriaStoneCo. 15 0 11 Total Footway Paving 1189 0 2 Carried forward £4777 3 1 2196 15 9 10 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Dr. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. GENERAL £ s. d. Brought forward 43,818 36 9 Carried forward £43,818 3 9 11 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. Cr. ACCOUNT. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward 4777 3 1 2196 15 9 Paving the District—(continued). Paid Cartage and Materials 124 2 0 „ Ballast, Sand, Shingle, Lime, &c. 241 9 0 5142 14 1 General and Incidental Expenses. „ Expenses of renewal of Licence for the Town Hall 5 3 6 „ Insurance of ditto 23 2 6 „ Hall Keeper's Commission 51 12 0 „ „ Guarantee 2 8 0 „ Gas for Hall 204 12 8 „ Electric Installation of Town Hall, repairs and alterations 39 3 2 „ Electric Light ... 255 12 6 „ Water 48 10 4 „ Tuning Organ, repairing and winding Clock 18 8 0 „ Rates and Taxes 389 17 1 „ Smiths' Work 158 8 0 „ Wheelwrights' ditto 68 5 11 ,, Plumbers' ditto 64 12 5 ,, Bricklayer and Carpenters' ditto 104 14 9 „ Advertising 30 0 3 ,, Printing, Books, Stationery, and Binding 178 15 0 „ Trustees of St. John's Burial Ground— Contribution for maintenance 40 0 0 „ Lamp, Street, Stand Posts, and Sand Bins, repairing and fixing ditto 186 18 7 ,, Flushing Hose ... 38 7 0 „ Disinfectants, and other Sanitary Expenses 62 19 0 „ Expenses of Food and Drugs Acts 14 15 9 „ Parliamentary Expenses 12 12 0 „ Parliamentary Papers, &c., Bills, &c. 19 14 0 „ Law Expenses, Public Health Summonses, &c. 42 8 6 „ Contract Stamps, &c. 3 0 0 „ fees in connection with Infectious Disease Notification 47 16 0 „ Clerk's Petty Expenses 21 15 4 Carried forward £2133 12 3 £7339 9 10 12 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Dr. From the 25th March, 1894, to 2bth March, 1895. GENERAL £ s. d. Brought forward 43,818 3 9 Balance due to Surveyor on Paving Account, 25th March 1895 14 6 9 £43,832 10 6 13 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. Cr. ACCOUNT. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward 2133 12 3 7339 9 10 General and Incidental Expenses—(continued). Paid Surveyor's Petty Expenses 13 11 6 „ Medical Officer's ditto 13 11 11 ,, Sanitary Inspector's ditto 7 6 3 „ Street Inspector, extra remuneration and expenses 24 5 6 „ Disinfecting Rooms, Bedding, &c., and Shelter 193 18 5 ,, Expenses of Gas Meeting, 18th April, 1894 22 15 4 „ Trees 12 3 0 „ Expenses of Conference on Combined Drainage 6 17 6 „ Cheque Books 1 13 4 ,, Electric Bell Fittings to Mortuary 4 10 0 ,, Office Fittings and Furniture for Town Hall 60 8 8 „ Messenger's Uniform 9 2 6 2503 16 2 Cleansing and Watering the Streets, Removing Dust and Ashes. ,, Contractor for Cleansing and Watering the Streets, and removing Dust and Ashes 5787 8 0 ,, New River Company 433 3 7 Loans. 6220 11 7 „ Payments on account of Loans 1412 0 0 „ „ „ Interest 1055 7 6 2467 7 6 Public Libraries (England) Acts. Payments under Precepts 872 12 4 The London School Board. „ Precepts of the Board 16,535 19 2 „ Ditto Election Expenses 125 9 6 Salaries to Officers. 16,661 8 8 „ The Clerk 394 4 7 „ „ Medical Officer of Health 200 0 0 „ „ Acting Medical Officer of Health 15 0 0 „ „ Surveyor 350 0 0 „ „ Analyst 100 0 0 „ „ Hall Keeper 86 3 0 „ „ Assistant Clerk 98 0 0 „ „ Office Clerk 39 0 0 „ „ Sanitary Inspector Bennett 100 3 10 „ „ Sanitary Inspector Freeman 90 0 0 „ „ Street Inspector 104 0 0 „ „ Messenger 65 0 0 Superannuations. 1641 11 5 „ „ late Clerk 150 0 0 „ ,, ,, Inspector 52 0 0 Balances on 25th March, 1895:— 202 0 0 In Surveyor's hands on Inspector's Salary Account 14 0 8 In the Clerk's hands 50 0 0 64 0 8 In the Treasurer's hands 5859 12 4 £43,832 10 6 14 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Dr. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. SEWERS £ d. £ s. d. To Balance in the Treasurer's hands on the 25th March, 1894 193 4 2 „ „ „ Surveyor's hands 0 8 11 Cash of the Overseers of the United Parishes of St. Andrew, Holborn, above Bars, and St. George the Martyr 910 10 7 ,, Liberty of Saffron Hill, Hatton Garden, Ely Rents, and Ely Place 327 0 11 „ Parish of St. Sepulchre, Middlesex 191 4 4 „ Liberty of Glasshouse Yard 56 1 6 1484 17 4 „ Fees for connecting House Drains with Public Sewers 12 19 6 „ Interest on Banking Account 1 8 5 £1692 18 4 15 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. Cr. ACCOUNT. £ S. d. Paid Sewer Works 649 14 7 „ Wages of Sewer Men 277 1 1 ,, Smith's Work 211 0 9 „ Timber 1 16 8 „ New River Company—Water for Urinals 155 11 6 „ Drain Pipes and Gullies 34 6 8 „ Sewer Clothing 16 17 0 „ Drain Clearing Rods 4 8 5 „ Balance in the Treasurer's hands at Lady-day, 1895 318 13 10 „ ,, ,, Surveyor's hands „ 23 7 10 £1692 18 4 16 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Dr. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. The Town 1894. CLOAK ROOM £ s. d. March 26th To balance brought forward 39 16 3½ April „ receipts from cloak room fees 45 0 5 May ,, „ ,, ,, 17 17 9 June ,, „ ,, ,, 3 2 6 July ,, „ ,, ,, 0 17 0 August „ „ „ „ 7 6 6 September „ „ „ „ 14 18 7 October „ „ „ „ 28 12 0 November „ „ „ „ 46 13 9 December „ „ „ „ 54 18 10 1895. January,, „ ,, ,, 51 5 5 February „ „ „ „ 52 6 6 March,, „ ,, ,, 56 0 10 £418 16 4½ 17 The Board of Works for the Holborn District. Hall. From the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895. Cr. FEES ACCOUNT. 1894. £ .s. d. April By payments Wages of cloak room servants, coals, wood, washing, repairs of furniture, furniture, linen, charing, stores for Town Hall, and incidental expenses with reference to the building and lettings. 47 14 10½ May „ „ 28 14 0½ June, July, August ,, „ 37 10 1 September „ „ 21 19 1½ October „ „ 22 0 1 November ,, „ 27 9 3 December „ „ 46 0 5½ 1895. January „ „ 35 15 3½ February ,, „ 36 19 3½ March „ „ 35 9 9 „ 25th Balance carried forward 79 4 1½ £418 16 4½ STATEMENT AND ACCOUNT Of all Arrears of Rates and other Monies owing to, and of all Mortgages, Debts, and Liabilities, owing by the Board of Works for the Holborn District, on the 25th March, 1895. GENERAL RATE, &c. MONEY OWING TO THE BOARD. DEBTS AND LIABILITIES OWING BY THE BOARD. Cash Balance. Contributions to be Received. TOTAL. Cash Balance. Loans, Mortgages, &c. Special Contracts outstanding to Lady-day, 1895. Officers' Salaries and Tradesmen's Bills outstanding to Lady-day, 1895. The School Board for London Precept due, Lady-day, 1895. TOTAL. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Surveyor's Balance on Inspector's Salary Account 14 0 8 Do. do. on Paving Account The Clerk's Balance 50 0 0 14 6 9 27,434 0 0 3210 14 5 1141 2 6 The Hall Keeper's Balance 79 4 0 Treasurer's Balance 5859 12 4 The United Parishes of St. Andrew, Holborn, and St. George the Martyr 1627 7 7 The Liberty of Saffron Hill 1946 18 2 The Parish of St. Sepulchre 481 14 3 The Liberty of Glasshouse Yard 231 19 1 SEWERS RATE. 6002 17 0 4287 19 1 10,290 16 1 14 6 9 27,434 0 0 3210 14 5 4141 2 6 34,800 3 8 Surveyor's Balance 23 7 10 179 3 8 79 5 2 Treasurer's „ 318 13 10 342 1 8 342 1 8 179 3 8 79 5 2 258 8 10 BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE HOLBORN DISTRICT. Summary Statement of Contracts for the Performance of General Works and Supply of Materials. Date of Contract. Name of Contractor. Nature of Works to be performed, and Materials to be supplied. Period. Price. 1884 to 1889. Various dates. Valde Travers Asphalte Paviug Company Maintenance of Streets For fifteen years Various prices ranging from 1s. down to 3d., per superficial square yard 1887 and 1888. The French Asphalte Company Maintenance of Streets For fifteen years 6d. per superficial square yard. 1894. Dec. 17th. Messrs Witherby & Co. Printing, Books, and Stationery For one year £140 0 0 1892. Jan. 28th. Improved Wood Pavement Company, Limited For Repairing Carriageway of Chancery Lane For fifteen years 1s. per superficial square yard 1893. March 24th. George Cookson Removing the Dust from the Houses in the District, Cleansing the Streets, Footways and Carriageways, Carting the Street Sweepings, and Watering the Streets For three years, from 25th March, 1893, to 25th March, 1896, at £5700 per ann. £17,100 0 0 1894. March 24th. Adcock, Easton & Co. Disinfectants For one year Per Schedule to Contract. 1894 March 24th. Corbyn, Stacey & Co. The like The like The like. REPORT. REPORT of the Proceedings of the Board of Works for the Holborn District, in execution of the Act for the better Local Management of the Metropolis; of the Works commenced and completed in the period from the 25th March, 1894, to 25th March, 1895, the Works remaining in progress at the termination of such period; and also of the proceedings taken by the said Board in the same period for the Removal of Nuisances or the Improvement of the Sanitary Condition of the District. The Board has during the past year held 22 Ordinary and 2 Special Meetings 24 The Committees have had the following number of Meetings, viz.:— Committee of Works 24 Sanitary Committee 26 Finance 4 Law and Parliamentary 9 Special Committees 9 Total 96 GENERAL WORKS. Referring to the observations made by the Board under this head in the report last year, on the effect of tramway traffic on the carriageway pavements in which the rails are laid, and the results so far as the remaining width of these pavements is concerned, the Board has to report that during the financial year now under review, it has had again to incur very considerable expenditure in this direction. The dual control—namely, that of the Local Authority and that of the Tramway Company—does, not in all cases, work well, inasmuch as it is 21 next to impossible to get united action as to the manner of executing the repairs, and the time at which the works involved shall be undertaken. The Board is happy to be able to report that notwithstanding these difficulties no accidents to the ordinary vehicular traffic have arisen. Further referring to the report of last year, the Board has to state it is still proceeding with its enquiry as to the practicability of washing and cleansing the paved surfaces of the streets by water, and it indulges in the hope that, prior to a new contract being entered into for street sweeping, it will have thoroughly threshed out this problem, with the view of improving the means now in use in regard to discharging this portion of its duties. As regards the scheme dealing with Brookes' Market, also referred to in the Board's last report, the Board has now to inform the ratepayers that the only progress made therewith was an enquiry on the part of the London County Council whether the District Board favoured the view of the whole of the cleared space being utilized as a recreation ground, or of a portion being so dealt with, or whether the entire area should be allocated to the erection of artizan's dwellings. On this enquiry becoming known to the public, the Board was requested to receive a large deputation of the inhabitants in and near the locus in quo, who desired to express the view that the most desirable and profitable manner of dealing with the land would be its being devoted as a site for artizan's dwellings. The Board having heard the views of the deputation, and having discussed the matter at great length, endorsed the opinion of the inhabitants, and so informed the London County Council. Nothing further, however, has been done, and the site still remains unutilized. It is to be hoped that, during the financial year now entered upon, the area in question will be put to profitable occupation. Among the paving operations executed during the twelve months ending Lady Day last, the Board has caused the carriageway of Chapel Street to be re-laid with asphalte, in lieu of macadam as previously. By so doing it has ensured a continuous surface of that material from Theobald's Road to Lamb's Conduit Street by way of Great James Street and Chapel Street, and has thus remedied what was previously complained of namely, the dust or mud, as the case might be, from Chapel Street being conveyed to the asphalted surfaces of Great James Street and Lamb's Conduit Street. Advantage was taken of the closing of the thoroughfare to lift and 22 re-metal portions of the surfaces of Millman Street and the eastern end of Great Ormond Street. Another greatly-needed improvement in carriageway pavements has also been effected during the past twelve months, namely, the removal of the old and much worn granite pitching which formed the surface of the carriageway of Portpool Lane, and substituting therefor Val de Travers' compressed asphalte on a concrete foundation 6 inches deep. Not only has the passage of vehicular traffic of all sorts been much facilitated by this operation, but the sanitary condition of the street has also been much improved thereby, for, owing to the size of the old pitchings and the width of the joints, it was almost impossible properly to cleanse, and to keep cleansed, the surface of this carriage way. Whilst the asphalting proceeded in this street, the Board caused to be relaid and repaired the footway on each side thereof. Another most desirable sanitary improvement was also effected by the employment of Val de Travers' asphalte (in this instance being used as a mastic) in the repaving with that material of White Horse Alley, Cow Cross Street, and of all the courts and alleys approached therefrom. All who were familiar with these courts and alleys as previously paved and in their present condition must admit the value, in a sanitary sense, of the change which has been effected in regard to the paving of their surfaces. The footway on the south side of Charterhouse Square, and those on both sides of that pottion of Goswell Road which is within the Holborn District, have also been repaved, the material used in each instance being the patent Victoria stone. A very considerable amount of repair both to the carriage and footways throughout the district has also been executed by the Board's staff during the twelve months now under review. MEMBERS AND STAFF. Mr. Robert Fell, who had represented the Liberty of Glasshouse Yard on the Board, found it necessary to resign his membership during the year. This gentleman had been a member of the Board for nearly fifteen years, and, until recently, had taken a deep interest in all matters aftecting the Liberty, comprising the eastern portion of the Holborn District, and his resignation was received with regret. The announcement of the death of Mr. Daniel George Staight, after a short illness, was received with surprise and great regret on the part of the 23 members of the Board. The services of this gentleman had been ably and freely rendered to the Board as representative of the Liberty of Saffron Hill, in the affairs of which Liberty Mr. Staight took a very great interest. By his death the Board lost one of its oldest and ablest members, and a resolution of condolence was forwarded to his widow. The Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Septimus Gibbon, M.B., Cantab., who had held the office since the formation of the Board in 1856, resigned his appointment, and was granted a superannuation allowance of £50 per annum, subject to the pleasure of the Board. The appointment has not yet been refilled, in consequence of the Local Government Board not having given its approval and sanction to the terms upon which the Board propose to appoint a new officer. The duties have been performed since the expiration of Dr. Gibbon's period of service by the Medical Officer of Health of the adjoining Sanitary District of Gray's Inn, James Collings Hoyle, Esq., M.B., who has from time to time been temporarily appointed, with the approval of the Local Government Board, to act as Medical Officer of the District, and who has carried out the duties devolving upon the Medical Officer in a manner satisfactory to the Board. It is hoped the sanction of the Local Government Board will ere long be given to the proposed new appointment in order that a permanent officer may be elected at an early date. The appointment of a Hall Keeper, touched upon in the last Annual Report, not having been so satisfactory as it might have been, it became necessary to make a fresh appointment during the past year, and out of a large number of candidates Mr. Henry Gardiner, who was at the time of his election Sergeant-Major of the 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Militia), was selected. Mr. Gardiner, shortly after his election, completed his army engagement, and entered upon his duties at the Town Hall. SANITARY DEPARTMENT. The question of combined Drainage, which was mentioned in the last Report as then occupying the attention of the Board, has not yet been finally settled; and bearing in mind the prominent position taken up by this Board with regard to this most important question, it may be well to state what has been done since the last Report was published. It will be remembered it was decided to convene a conference of delegates from Metropolitan District Boards and Vestries to consider the subject. This conference was held on the 17th May, 1894, under the presidency 24 of the Board's Chairman, George Phillips, Esq., J.P., when the following District Boards and Vestries were represented by two delegates each— viz., Lewisham, Limehouse, St. Saviour's, Wandsworth and Holborn District Boards, and Battersea, Camberwell, Chelsea, Clerkenwell, St. George's-inthe-East, Hackney, Hammersmith, Islington, St. James's, Westminster, Kensington, Lambeth, St. Luke's, St. Martin's, Newington, Paddington and Rotherhithe Vestries, the delegates being accompanied in many cases by one or more of their principal officers. Considerable interest was manifested throughout the proceedings, and the difficulties in dealing with questions of combined drainage constantly occurring in all parts of the Metropolis were fully and clearly placed before the meeting by the Chairman, together with the Acts of Parliament now in force, and the effect of the cases in which questions of this kind had been decided from time to time in the various courts of law. After considerable debate, from which the great importance of the questions became more and more apparent, resolutions were passed almost unanimously to the following effect: "That a memorial be presented to the London County Council, calling attention to the difficulties which have been experienced by Local Sanitary Authorities in dealing with questions of combined drainage, and the responsibilities of the said Local Authorities in reference thereto, and that the Council be requested to take steps with a view of obtaining an amendment of the definition of the word "drain" in section 250 of "The Metropolis Local Management Act, 1885," and that the Council be asked to receive a deputation from the Conference." Following the Conference a memorial was duly prepared by the Secretary, and presented by a deputation of the Members of the Conference to a Committee of the Council, when the delegates comprising the deputation had an opportunity given them of fully explaining the wishes of the Local Authorities in respect to the question under consideration. The Council not having expressed its intention to take action in accordance with the views of the Local Authorities, the subject was not allowed to rest where it had been left, and the Council was asked to receive a deputation direct from the District Boards and Vestries, Before deciding what course should be adopted. A date having been arranged for this deputation to attend, it was thought advisable to again assemble the Conference, with a view of arranging the course of action to be adopted by the deputation when before the Council. The Conference was therefore assembled for the second time on the 21st January last, when the chair was occupied by Mr. Solomon Jacobs, 25 the Chairman of the Sanitary Committee. Some of the Local Authorities who had taken little interest in the proceedings of the previous meeting, had since discovered the importance of the question to them, and appointed delegates. The proceedings occupied considerable time in the general discussion, but the resolutions were confined to the mode of procedure to be adopted before the Council, for which the final arrangements were made. On the Thursday following the whole of the delegates were in attendance at the London County Council, the deputation being received by the Main Drainage Committee, and the Parliamentary Committee, the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, and the Deputy-Chairman, together with the Solicitor and the Council's Parliamentary Agent,(being present to hear the statements of those of the deputation who had been appointed to address the meeting. Over 100 representatives of the various Local Authorities were present to support the statements of those delegates appointed to address the Committee of the Council. Mr. W. F. Dewey, the Vestry Clerk of Islington, was the first and principal speaker, being followed by Mr. Hills, of Wandsworth ; Mr. Tagg, of Camberwell ; Dr. Sykes, of St. Pancras, and others, who ably dealt with the subject, with the gratifying result that owing to the efforts of this Board, in thus bringing the matter to a head, the Council has at length intimated its intention of promoting a Public Bill in Parliament with a view of endeavouring to put the law on a sound basis with regard to private drains. In October last the Board appointed delegates to attend a Conference on the subject of Bakehouses in London. The Conference was held, and well attended by delegates, at the Vestry Hall of St. George's, Southwark, but, owing to the action of a particular section the Conference, ended without any practical benefit resulting therefrom. With regard to another matter which the Sanitary Department has had under its notice, and in which the general public are interested to a marked degree, viz., the sale of meat in certain streets forming part of the district under the Board's jurisdiction, it is but right to mention in this Annual Statement that various suggestions and remarks have been made with reference to the manner in which the Board is endeavouring to carry out its duty for the protection of the public. It has also been broadly hinted in Police Courts, and other places, that the Holborn District Board is at fault in this respect, and that unwholesome meat has been allowed to be sold in the streets adjacent to the Metropolitan Meat Market, which has been carried away to other districts, where it has been seized and condemned. It is only fair to the Board and its officers to set against this the fact that, although every opportunity has been offered to the individuals who have been the means 26 of bringing this matter forward, they have not in any case been able to substantiate their statements, or to fix the Board or its staff with any specific charge of neglect which would bear the slightest investigation. Indeed, it is hardly right to be content with leaving the matter without further remark, because, when it was alleged in a particular case that a quantity of unsound meat had been purchased in the Holborn district and condemned in another district—in other words, when a distinct and specific case was placed before the Committee, and the necessary evidence was asked for to substantiate the case before the Courts—it was not forthcoming; consequently, the legal proceedings which were in contemplation could not be followed up, because, for want of evidence, the complaint appeared not to be well founded. This subject has been attended to with care, and the attention of the Board has been specially directed to it because of its importance to the public generally. In order, however, that the ratepayers of the district may be satisfied that the Board is doing its duty in this direction, it may be as well to mention in no one instance, to the knowledge of the Board, have any of the assertions—made, apparently, without due regard to facts or circumstances—been borne out when details have been challenged as to their accuracy, or investigated with a view of founding a prosecution upon them. The sale of meat in the district, and in particular that part of the district immediately referred to here, will doubtless occupy, for some little time, the attention of the Board. In October last a notification was directed to the Board, which had not been properly communicated to it, as it should have been by the intended occupiers, of the intention to occupy certain premises in Charles Street, Hatton Garden, as a Shelter, by what is known as the Social Wing of the Salvation Army, the responsible person being Mr. William Booth, commonly known as " General Booth." On inspection it was discovered that the building, consisting of five floors, was fitted with beds or bunks, in most cases in fours, one above the other. The Committee were informed it was proposed to accommodate 400 men of the lowest class every night. The sanitary conveniences had all been fixed prior to this inspection, and without any notice to the Sanitary Authority, as required by the London County Council Bye-Laws. The water-closets in the basement were all condemned, and a sanitary order served for the Bye-Laws of the Council to be observed. Mr. Booth thought it wise to appeal from the order of this Board. The appeal was argued by Counsel and evidence called in 27 support, and eventually dismissed, after which the orders of the Board were complied with. This business occupied the attention of the Sanitary Committee for nearly six months, by reason of the pertinacity displayed by the Salvation Army authorities in endeavouring to do what they considered was sufficient without regard to the requirements of the Sanitary Authority. Whether or no this place is to be a benefit or otherwise to the district remains to be seen. It will be kept under observation by the Board's officers from time to time with a view of seeing that it is properly conducted and kept in proper sanitary order. PRICE OF GAS. Another question which engaged the attention of the Board during the past year is the price charged for gas by the various companies supplying the metropolis with gas for public and private lighting, especially by the Gas Light and Coke Company. Complaints were raised on all sides, and resulted in a memorial being presented to the Board by the inhabitants of the district asking for the use of the Town Hall for the purpose of holding a meeting. The Board, feeling considerable interest in the subject, decided to take the initiative by calling a great public meeting at the Holborn Town Hall. The meeting was held and numerously attended on the 18th April, 1894, Sir Albert K. Rollit, M.P., presiding, accompanied by the following gentlemen:—Sir Charles Hall, M.P., Walter Hazell, Esq., M.P., James Rowlands, Esq., M.P., the Honourable Dadabhai Naoroji, M.P., the Honourable Massey-Mainwaring, Mr. Alderman Beachcroft, L.C.C., Mr. Alderman Hoare, L.C.C., J. F. Remnant, Esq., L.C.C., W. F. Blake, Esq., L.C.C., J. J Stockall, Esq., M.L.S.B. J. G. Viney, Esq., and supported by the Chairman of the Board, and the Chairman of the Board of Guardians for the Holborn District, and many other members, who had endeavoured to make the meeting a successful one. The following resolutions were passed:— "That in the opinion of this meeting the difference of 8d. in the price of gas made by the Gas Light and Coke Company, viz., 3s. 1d. to consumers on this side of the river, and 2s. 5d. to consumers on the other side, which has existed since 1892, is unfair and excessive." "That in view of the unfair and excessive charges for gas, and the 28 power possessed by the Gas Light and Coke Company to charge different prices in different districts, this meeting is of opinion that an alteration of the law is desirable, with a view of compelling the gas companies to charge a fair and uniform rate throughout the whole of London, and that copies of these resolutions be forwarded to the Board of Trade and the Company," afterwards being embodied in a petition under the seal of the Board to the House of Commons, praying for a Parliamentary inquiry into the matter. Many other District Boards and Vestries have followed the excellent example set them in this District by holding similar meetings, and have presented petitions with a like object. Delegates from this Board have since attended meetings at Hammersmith Vestry and also at the House of Commons on this subject. The question whether this agitation will result in material benefit to the consumers of gas has not yet been definitely settled, although it has resulted in a slight reduction in the prices charged for private consumption. LAW AND PARLIAMENTARY. Looking at the importance of the changes made by recent legislation dealing with the Local Government of the Metropolis it may not be out of place under this heading to refer to the Local Government Act of 1894, and consider briefly in what way this Board has been affected by the provisions thereof. This is necessary in the first place, because that important statute was only made to deal with London Vestries and District Board at short notice by the insertion of clauses in Committee, and the full effect of the clauses then inserted has hardly yet been realized; in the second place, because the Board had to very carefully consider the Act and to work under it almost directly after it came into operation, this was not the case with Vestries which were not brought under its operation until considerably later. To state the effect of the Act shortly, it may be summarized as follows: The Chairman of the Board has to be elected annually, and when elected is, by virtue of his office, Justice of the Peace for the County of London. The election of Chairman takes place every year at the first meeting of the Board held in the month of June. The qualification of members by rating is no longer required, the only requisites being that the person to be elected shall be a parochial elector of some parish or liberty forming part of the district, or shall have resided 29 for twelve months preceding the election in the district, the words "parochial elector" meaning a person whose name appears on the Parliamentary or Local Government Register of Electors. It is also provided that no person shall be disqualified by sex or marriage; consequently females, if parochial electors, or qualified by residence, may be elected by the Vestries to serve on this Board. The statute has not made any alteration with regard to the term of office of the members, therefore the time during which a person elected to serve will remain a member of the Board will be as heretofore, viz., three years. The election of members to the vestries of the parishes, and liberties comprising the district, are now regulated by the Act, which has made some sweeping alterations with regard thereto, but as that is a matter which hardly concerns this Board it is unnecessary to give details of the various clauses concerning such elections, other than to state that the persons to be elected as vestrymen require the same qualification as those appointed to serve on this Board. Other important provisions are capable of being applied if and when the Board think fit to ask the Local Government Board to make an order transferring certain duties to the Board. The Board has, however, not yet thought it necessary to take action in this direction, consequently there is no need to further remark upon them. There are certain disqualifications mentioned, similar to those formerly existing, and now repealed, which apparently apply to persons elected to serve on District Boards. These are made applicable to persons elected in accordance with the Act, and as the qualifications of members of this Board are regulated by the new Act, although the mode of selection is still governed by the older statutes, these doubtless apply to members of this Board, and the fact of the disqualifying sections in the older Act being repealed certainly points in this direction. The persons disqualified are, aliens,persons who have received parochial relief, persons who have been convicted, persons who are bankrupt or have executed deeds of arrangement or composition with creditors within five years, or who hold any paid office under the Parish Council (which in London apparently means a vestry), and contractors to the Board, and it is provided that if any disqualified person acts as a member of the Board he is liable to a fine of £20. The Act, so far as it related to the Board, came into operation on the 5th of March, 1894., and George Phillips, Esq., one of the members appointed by the Vestry of the Liberty of Saffron Hill, was unanimously elected Chairman for the year on the nth day of June last. Having 30 regard to the alterations made by this statute it was considered advisable to appoint a Special Committee to deal with the bye-laws regulating the business and proceedings of the Board at its Meetings and in Committee, and it is anticipated early in the ensuing year a more extensive and satisfactory set of bye-laws will be adopted. Another equally important measure received careful consideration, as it had in the last preceding year, at the hands of the Board, viz., the Equalization of Rates Bill, This Bill was again not approved by the Board, who presented a Petition to Parliament in opposition, praying that the same should not become law, this course was taken by other District Boards and Vestries, notwithstanding which it passed through Parliament and came into force on the 25th day of August last, with the result that the district has to make a considerable contribution to the Equalization Fund without receiving any apparent benefit in return. The Board considered it advisable to present a petition to the Local Government Board with a view to obtaining an alteration in the law relating to the powers of water companies, especially directed to the fact that such companies now possess a power of cutting off the water supply from dwellinghouses without notice to the Local Sanitary Authority having been first given. The Board considered the absence of a supply of water the cause of many evils and a source of risk to the inhabitants of the district, and, therefore, in this petition made strong representations to the Local Government Board that the arbitrary powers now possessed by the water companies should be so controlled that the action now so frequently exercised should not be brought into force without the consent of the Local Sanitary Authorities being first obtained, and that, in the opinion of the Board, the said companies were amply protected by the right they now have of recovering their rates by distress and the enforcement of penalties. On the 7th of August last, the report of the Royal Commission appointed to consider the proper conditions under which the amalgamation of the City and the County of London can be effected was presented to Parliament. This report was duly brought to the notice of the Board, but the Board has not, up to the present time, thought it necessary or expedient to take such report into consideration, or to take any action thereon. So far as legal proceedings are concerned, the Board has, fortunately, not been extensively occupied in this respect. Apart from proceedings from time to time necessarily adopted for the suppression of nuisances under the Public Health (London) Act, only two cases of importance have been recently engaged in by the Board. 31 In the first of these a claim was put forward by a person for personal injuries stated to be caused by accidentally falling down upon some frozen snow alleged to have been negligently left upon the public footway in one of the streets. This was the first, and, so far as at present known, the only instance in which compensation had been claimed against a Public Authority for personal injury arising out of an accident of this kind. It is not altogether strange that such an action should have been brought, having regard to the fact that the obligation of clearing snow from the footways, which had for many years devolved upon the inhabitants, had recently been removed. The old law required the occupier of premises, during frost or after a fall of snow, to sweep and cleanse the footway in front of his premises, and every occupier of a house or other tenement who did not keep sufficiently swept and cleansed all footways adjoining the premises was liable to a penalty. "The Public Health (London) Act, 1891," had not only repealed these useful provisions and relieved the occupiers of this important duty, but cast it upon the Sanitary Authority as well during the frost and snow as at other times. The person who brought this action against the Board admitted at the hearing that she had been led to do so by statements in the press, in which, during the winter of 1893-4, the subject was freelv discussed and the Local Authorities severely blamed for not carrying out so thoroughly as might have been expected a newly imposed duty which it was next to impossible to perform efficiently. The Board was advised the action was not maintainable, and therefore gave directions that it should be defended, with the result that the Plaintiff was non-suited, or in other words lost the case. The case was taken to the Higher Court on Appeal, and the Board was again successful. It is only fair to say the newspapers gave the same amount of publicity to the result of this most important action as they had to the complaints during the frosty weather, and the inhabitants will, doubtless, be relieved, as the law on the subject is now quite settled by the decision in the case, from the liability of having innumerable actions and claims made upon the Board, the expense of which would naturally tend to increase the burden of the ratepayers. Many of the Local Authorities in the Metropolis are dissatisfied with the new law, and prefer that the duty of cleansing the footways should remain with the occupiers of premises. This Board agrees with these authorities, that it is better and easier for the work of cleansing the footways from snow to be performed by the occupiers of houses, and has therefore supported the action taken by other local bodies with a view of obtaining a re-enactment of those useful provisions which were so recently and unnecessarily repealed. 32 The other case was taken up by the Board at the instance of the inhabitants of the parish of St. George the Martyr, who complained of the obstruction of the traffic—both footway and carriageway—in Theobald's Road. The question of costermongers was referred to in the last Annual Statement, and the difficulties attending questions of street obstruction shortly mentioned. Taking into consideration the result of former cases in Farringdon Road, the Board felt a little hesitation in taking the initiative with respect to Theobald's Road. This case, however, differed in a material degree from the former, seeing that the complaints were for obstruction to the traffic, and the Board decided to act accordingly. Printed notices were circulated giving fourteen days' notice of the Board's intention to clear the road from obstruction. In the meantime the assistance of the police was asked, to aid the Board's officers on the expiration of the notice. The time having arrived the Board's Inspector, accompanied by the Sub-Divisional Inspector of Police for the E Division, and several other officers, and a number of constables, ordered all the persons obstructing the street, either on the footway or carriageway, to remove their goods. In almost every instance the obstructions were removed, and the people moved away after a little time. Two or three, however, objected and their names were taken, summonses being afterwards applied for with the result that the parties were fined by the magistrate. The whole of these proceedings passed off quietly and ended successfully. From this time there has been little further cause of complaint, and the police have followed up the action of the Board by summoning several persons who have since attempted to cause obstruction in this locality. The Board had under consideration the London County Council General Powers Bill, and the several Bills introduced by the Council to compulsorily purchase the various water undertakings supplying the Metropolis with water, including that of the New River Company. Although not approving the object intended by the Bills, the Board was not prepared to incur expense with a view of objecting to the action of the Council in seeking to attain the control of the London water supply at an enormous cost to the ratepayers of London, but contented itself by an expression of opinion to that effect, which was duly communicated to the Council. PUBLIC LIBRARY. The Commissioners who, under the provisions of "The Public Libraries' Act, 1892," retired in rotation during the last year were— 33 Mr. Thomas Smith Bennett, Mr. Alderman Hoare, L.C.C., Mr. Girardo Migotti, all of whom, being eligible, were re-appointed. The Board has considerable satisfaction in again observing the large interest shown with regard to this popular institution by the inhabitants and ratepayers, and gratefully expresses its appreciation of the labours of the Commissioners in their endeavour to carry on so successfully the work devolving upon them in this connection. FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. As in last year, the prosecutions which have been necessary under these statutes have not been very numerous. Although a considerable number of samples have been taken, the proportion of those proved to be adulterated has not been so large as in former years. This may be taken, perhaps, as a sign that the Acts are working some improvement in the district. The inhabitants are assured that the question of adulteration of food will not be lost sight of by the Board, and that the officers of the Board have received directions to see the provisions of the Food and Drugs Acts are properly brought into operation to the best of their ability. The convictions obtained during the past year have, as before, by the Board's directions been published in a posting bill, and a copy is appended to this Statement for the benefit of the ratepayers. FINANCE. During the year just ended the Board has constantly kept its attention fixed upon the question of finance, with a view of carrying out the work of lighting, watering, cleansing, and maintaining the district in a proper sanitary condition, with due regard to economy and efficiency. Having in view that there are several main lines of traffic of an unusually heavy character—viz., Holborn, Clerkenwell Road, and Theobald's Road, intersected by the Gray's Inn Road, Goswell Road, and Farringdon Road—it is not surprising that constant repairs are being carried out which necessarily have the effect of keeping up expenses. Taking all things into consideration, however, after having carried out all the repairs, improvements, and changes in the district during the year, the Board is in a position to give a fairly good account of its financial proceedings. 34 As in former years, the largest item of expenditure is the payment of the demands of the School Board for London, which apparently increase year by year. During the year just ended the total expenditure of the District Board, including, as before, the maintenance of the sewers, amounted to £39,258 0s. 11d., or £406 5s. less than the preceding year. £16,661 8s. 8d. out of this went to the School Board for London and £872 12s. 4d. to the Commissioners of the Public Library, leaving the sum of £21,724 19s. 11d. for the expenses of this Board for carrying out the maintenance of the district as a Sanitary and Road Authority, and performing all the various duties entailed by the Statutes regulating the local government of the district. In the preceding year the expenditure of the Board, after paying the precepts of the School Board for London and the Library Commissioners was £22,827 7s. l0d. and a comparison of the one year last past against this shows the very considerable reduction in the expenses of the Board of £1102 7s. 11d. The Board has, therefore, no hesitation in again saying that from these figures the inhabitants will be able to discern a continued desire on the part of the Board to carry out the duties entrusted to it without materially adding to the burden of the ratepayers of the district. The late Medical Officer of Health received a salary of £200 per annum, which annual payment has now been reduced to £50 by way of superannuation. The salary proposed for his successor, notwithstanding the objection made by the Local Government Board, is fixed at .£350, making in all £400; under this heading of expenditure in the first place is an apparent increase of £200, but in reality only an increase of £25, for the simple reason that one-half of the new officer's salary, viz., £175 will be payable by the London County Council out of the Exchequer Contribution Account to this Board. In other words, the annual expense consequent upon the new appointment of a Medical Officer of Health is an increase in the permanent charges of £25 only. During the year the salary of the Clerk's Assistant, Mr. Nichols, has been raised from £80 to £104 per annum, and that of the Sanitary Inspector, Mr. Bennett, from £130 to £ 140. The rateable values of the various Parishes and Liberties comprising the district, the amounts for which precepts were issued by the Board for General and Sewer Expenses, and the amounts received during the year, appear in the following table:— 35 General Expenses. Parish or Liberty. Rateable Value. Amount of Precept. Amount Received. £ £ s. d. £ s. d. United Parishes 231,839 22,509 10 4 20,882 2 9 Saffron Hill* 86,754 7,787 12 8 5,840 14 6 St. Sepulchre 48,685 4,726 16 9 4,245 2 6 Glasshouse Yard 9,556 927 16 1 694 17 0 Sewers Expenses. Parish or Liberty. Rateable Value. Amount of Precept. Amount Received. United Parishes Saffron Hill* St. Sepulchre Glasshouse Yard £ 231,839 83,256 48,685 9,556 £ 910 327 191 37 s. 10 0 4 10 d. 7 11 4 9 £ 910 327 191 37 s. 10 0 4 10 d. 7 11 4 9 * The Rateable Value of Saffron Hill varies for different purposes. SEWER WORKS. The Board has caused to be taken up and relaid during the past year sewers in Union Buildings, Leather Lane, and in Boswell Court, New North Street. At the request of Messrs. Reid & Co., who undertook to pay the whole of the cost involved, the Board gave consent to the sewers in Half Moon Court, Crown Court, and Union Buildings, being diverted, so as to admit of the site formerly known as the Dray Yard in Portpool Lane being utilized for the erection of warehouses thereon. The works involved, which were of a somewhat complicated and difficult character, have been successfully carried out by the contractors employed by Messrs. Reid & Co. The Board also caused the diversion of the sewer in Queen Square Place, and has had the old and dilapidated brick sewer, which formerly received the drainage of the houses in this place, broken up, and a glazed stoneware pipe sewer substituted in its place. Notices were served upon the whole of the occupiers of the houses draining into this sewer to remodel their house drains and take advantage of the new and improved outlet which had been provided. 36 The Board's staff have been engaged in the repair of the existing sewers to a considerable extent, and also in the necessary work of flushing. They have at the same time not been unmindful of the flushing and cleansing of the paved surfaces of the courts and alleys throughout the district—a very necessary operation, having regard to the want of sufficient width which too many of these courts and alleys suffer from. By the London County Council General Powers Act, 1894, the duty of cleansing every grating and gully in any street communicating with any sewer belonging to the London County Council, or under the Council's control, has now been transferred to the Local Authorities, and they are made responsible that no foreign substances are introduced into the gullies or sewers. THE ANNUAL REPORT of JAMES KEAR COWELL, ESQ., F.I.C., F.C.S., THE PUBLIC ANALYST. 101, Great Russell Street, W.C., 1st June, 1895. To the BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE HOLBORN DISTRICT. Gentlemen, I have again the honour to present to you a report upon the samples submitted to me for analysis under the "Sale of Food and Drugs Acts" during the year ending the 25th March, 1895. The total number of articles examined during this period was 171, which compares very favourably with the two preceding years, 1893-4 and 1892-3, when the totals reached 122 and 45 respectively. Of these 171 samples, 83 were purchased by your Inspector, Mr. Albert Bennett, and 88 by your Inspector, Mr. Walter Freeman. 37 In the following table will be found a list of the articles analysed, showing also how many have been examined during each quarter of the year. Article. 1st Quarter. 2nd Quarter. 3rd Quarter. 4th Quarter. Total. Grand Total Genuine. Adulterated. Genuine. Adulterated. Genuine. Adulterated. Genuine. Adulterated. Genuine. Adulterated. Milk 11 5 6 1 13 — 14 2 44 8 52 Butter 14 1 6 — 10 1 10 — 40 2 42 Cheese — — — — — — 1 — 1 — 1 Whisky 3 — 1 — — — — — 4 — 4 Mustard 6 — 2 — 2 — 3 — 13 — 13 Pepper 6 — 1 — 2 — 4 — 13 — 13 Vinegar 4 — — — — — — — 4 — 4 Coffee 4 — — — 1 — 1 — 6 — 6 Chicory and Coffee 1 — — — — — — — 2 — 2 Cocoa 3 — — — — — — — 3 — 3 Cocoa Essence — — — — 1 — — — 1 — 1 Chocolate Powder — — 1 — — — — — 1 — 1 Sugar — — — — — — 1 — 1 — 1 Sweetmeats — 1 1 — 1 Corn Flour — 1 — j — 1 Oatmeal — — — — 1 — 2 — 3 — 3 Salad Oil 1 — 1 — — — — — 2 — 2 Ice Cream 19 — — — — — 19 — 19 Citrate of Magnesia 1 — — — — — — — 1 — 1 Carbonate of Magnesia — — — — — — 1 — 1 — 1 Total 54 6 38 1 30 1 39 2 161 10 171 The number of samples certified to be adulterated, it will be observed, is 10, or only 5.8 per cent. In the previous year the percentage of adulteration was j 6*4. MILK. As in previous years, a large number of the samples taken consisted of milk. Of the 52 samples examined, 3 were certified to be of poor quality, whilst 8 were undoubtedly adulterated, though some only to a very small extent. The nature and amount of the adulteration may be shown as follows:— 1st Quarter, ending 30th June, 1894. No. of Sample. Nature and Amount of Adulteration. H. 40 Adulterated with at least 4 per cent. of water. H.B. 33 Do. do. 4 do. do. H. 11 Do. do. 10 do. do. H.B. 13 Do. do. 24 do. do. H. 23 Do. by removal of at least 17 per cent. of fat. 38 2nd Quarter, ending 30th September, 1894. H. 59 Adulterated with at least 13 per cent, of water. 3rd Quarter, ending 31st December, 1894. None. 4th Quarter, ending 31st March, 1895. H.B. 17 Adulterated with at least 3 per cent. of water. H.B. 16 Dc. by removal of at least 5 per cent, of fat The remainder have been found to be of fairly good quality. BUTTER. Two only of the 42 samples of butter were found to be adulterated—in each instance by the addition of foreign fat, that is, "fat other than the fat of butter." The two cases were— H, 12 Adulterated with at least 25 per cent. of foreign fat. H. 82 Do. do. 60 do. do. The remaining samples were all certified as "not adulterated." I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, J. REAR COLWELL. FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. The following penalties have been inflicted at the Clerkenwell Police Court during the past year:— Date. Name. Address. Offence Charged. Result. 1894. Mar. 30 Adams, John Clovelly Mansions, Elm Street Selling adulterated butter Fined 40s. & costs 2S. April 18 Wiles, Alfred 17, Charles Street ,, coffee 10s. 6d. ,, 2s. ,, 18 Do. Do. „ 18 Lanning, Charles 2, Charles Street ,, cocoa Costs 12s. 6d. ,, 27 Morgan, Richard 34, Brooke Street ,, milk 30s. & costs 2s. ,, 27 Do. Do. ,, butter 10s. ,, 2s. Oct. 24 Edwards, David William 13, Cosmo Place ,, milk 20s, ,, 2s. THE REPORT of SEPTIMUS GIBBON, A.B. & M.B. (CANTAB); Member of the Royal College of Physicians; Medical Officer of Health to the National Hospital; late Physician of the London Hospital; Professor of Natural Philosophy at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, &c.t &c.t &c.., The Medical Officer of Health to the BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE HOLBORN DISTRICT. REPORT RELATING TO THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE HOLBORN DISTRICT, LONDON. FOR THE YEAR 1894. TO THE BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE HOLBORN DISTRICT. Gentlemen, As regards the vital statistics of London, the year 1894 was a year of lower birth-rate and lower death-rate than the preceding year. The marriage-rate was slightly lower than that of last year, which was the lowest on record. The marriages celebrated in London in 1894 numbered 36,902, in an estimated population of 4,349,166, giving a proportion of 17.0 persons married to 1000 inhabitants. This was 0.4 and 0.2 below the rate in the two immediately preceding years respectively, when it was 17.4 and 17.2 per 1000. The births registered in London in 1894 (52 weeks) numbered 130,552, giving the proportion of 30.1 births in the year to 1000 inhabitants. This is the lowest rate of birth for London in any year on record. In 1876 the rate was 35.9, but from that date it has fallen continuously year by year. The excess of births over deaths, or the natural increment of the population, was 53,514, whereas it had averaged 44,850 annually in the five immediately preceding years. The deaths registered in 1894 (52 weeks) numbered 77,039, and corresponded to an annual rate of 17.76 per 1000. This rate was lower by 2.67 than the average rate in the previous ten years. 42 The following table shows, in a summary form, the amount of life in the whole of London saved, and the amount lost, in the year, compared with the mean annual mortality in the preceding ten years under each of the more important causes. Diminution or excess of deaths in 1894, compared with the average annual deaths in 1884-1893, corrected for increase of population:— Cause of Death. Diminution in 1894. Excess in 1894. Small-pox 222 Measles — 659 Scarlet Fever 143 — Typhus 11 — Influenza — 34 Whooping Cough 755 — Diphtheria — 1146 Simple and ill-defined Fever 36 — Enteric Fever 23 — Diarrhoea Diseases 1465 — Cancer — 312 Phthisis and Tubercular Diseases 1815 — Premature Birth — 140 Diseases of Nervous System 1843 — Diseases of Circulatory System 835 — Diseases of Respiratory System, including Croup 4733 — Diseases of Urinary System 168 — Childbirth and Puerperal Fever 59 — Accident 84 — Murder, Manslaughter 16 — Suicide — 47 All other Diseases I 890 — 13,998 2338 Balance of Diminution 11,660 The balance of the deaths in the year, in diminution of those which were above the average for ten years, is thus seen to be 11,660—a net gain. In other words, had the death-rate been only equal to the average rate in the preceding decenniuvi, 11,660 more persons would have died in London than was actually the case. It will be seen at a glance from this table what diseases are increasing, and what are decreasing, in the Metropolis. The excess was under six headings, viz.: Measles, Influenza, Diphtheria, Cancer, Premature Birth, and Suicide. The excess of mortality from diphtheria was no less than 1146, the total number of deaths from this disease being 2670. The deaths from diphtheria and croup, which I think cannot and ought not 43 to be differentiated, taken together, amounted in 1894 to 2836. These deaths, although fewer by 646 than the number registered in 1893, nevertheless exceeded by 795 the average number in the ten preceding years corrected for increase of population. The deaths from influenza exceeded the average by 34, and only numbered 750, considerably below the average of the three preceding years 1891 to 1893. A large number of deaths really due to influenza are certified under other names, more especially under Bronchitis and Pneumonia. Under Premature Birth it is to be noted that the increase of mortality which has gone on augmenting year by year in almost unbroken succession, has occurred in spite of a diminishing birth-rate. The population of the Holborn Sanitary District at the Census of 1891 amounted to 34,051, or, deducting that of the Liberty of Glasshouse Yard (787), to 33,264. In commenting on the vital statistics it will simplify matters if, in the first instance, we exclude the Liberty, and subsequently direct your attention to the Birth-rate, Sickness-rate, and Death-rate of that Liberty. In the year 1894 (Table I.), 832 births and 787 deaths were registered from the population of 33,264, during the 52 weeks ending December 31st, 1894. In the ten previous years the births numbered 1010, 961, 987, 930, 931, 940, 916, 917, 885, and 864; and the deaths 908, 806, 846, 832, 832, 740, 953, 1058 917, and 967. The births show a decrease of 32 or 3.7 per cent. on the number of the previous year. The birth-rate of the district (25.01 per 1000 of the inhabitants) is apparently 5.09 lower than the birth-rate of the whole of London (30.1). I say apparently, because I have reason to believe that many of the births amongst our migratory Irish and Italian population are not registered. The deaths exhibit a decrease of 180, or 18.6 per cent., on those of the previous year. The number of deaths in the union workhouse was 20, and the number of deaths to non-residents in the hospitals situate within the district was 250 against 250 last year. If, therefore, we deduct the 240 out of all the deaths (341) in our hospitals, and add 60 as our proportion of the deaths which occurred in the hospitals, prisons, and lunatic asylums of the Metropolis, and add 53 as dying in the parochial institutions located outside the district, we arrive at a corrected mortality, 660 deaths in a population of 33,264, or a death-rate of 19.84 for the year 1894, which is 6.79 lower than the rate of the previous year (26 63). If the mortality of the central registration districts, of which Holborn forms 44 a part, be corrected by adding their deaths in hospitals and other public institutions, it will be found that their death-rate was 20.6 against 26.6 per 1000 in the previous year. Thus it appears that our death-rate was 2.04 above the general death-rate (17.8) of the whole of London, and 0.66 lower than the corrected death-rate of all the central districts for the year 1894. This death-rate of 19.84 is the lowest we have had for many years, and the Board and its Sanitary Department may be congratulated on the resalt. There was a considerable decrease (Table II.) in the number of deaths— 99 against 131—from measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria, whooping cough, diarrhœa. and enteric or typhoid fever; but if correction be made by including deaths of our residents in hospitals outside and excluding those of non-residents within the district, there were only 81 from these seven rymotic diseases against 109 in the year 1893—i.e., a decrease of 25.7 per cent. The pauper sickness returns for the year ending December 31st, 1894, (52 weeks), Table III., exhibit a decrease of 508 cases on those of the preceding year. There is an increase of 1 case of puerperal fever and 38 of whooping cough, a decrease of 1 case of small pox, 16 of chicken pox, 13 of measles. 24 of scarlet fever, 76 of erysipelas, 45 of influenza, 4 of lead poisoning, and 59 of pneumonia, 33 cases of diarrhœa, and 13 of insanity. These figures, like those of the deaths, prove that the year 1894 was an extremely healthy one. Deaths from violence show a decrease of eleven, viz., 20 against 31 deaths in the previous year. The number of fatal street accidents in the whole of London (255) were 49 less than in the preceding year, or a decrease of 16.1 per cent This is very satisfactory, because, up to last year, these accidents have year by year steadily increased since 1873. THE LIBERTY OF GLASSHOUSE YARD. In the small population of this liberty of 787 persons at the census of 1891, there occurred during the year 1894, 14 births (10 males and 4 females), and 9 deaths (4 males and 3 females). The only death from preventible disease was a male child from measles. NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. The number of notification certificates received during the past year from medical attendants on the sick was as follows:—small-pox, 16; scarlet 45 fever, 65; diphtheria, 57; erysipelas, 74; typhoid or enteric fever, 24; membranous croup, 2; total, 238 cases. All these cases were promptly attended to, and either isolated, or removed to hospital. I received the cordial co-operation of their medical attendants, and when the cases could not be isolated they were often removed by the doctors to hospital within two hours of the time the disease was detected. The amount paid for these notification certificates to medical men was £20 17s. 6d. Diphtheria and Membranous Croup.—Personally, I am unable to make a differential diagnosis between these two diseases; essentially, although not topographically, they appear to be identical. In the former distemper, the false leathery membrane is effused on the tonsils and throat, in the latter, on the windpipe and larger bronchial tubes. Of this disease, 59 cases were notified, and 20 died; being 24.8 per 100 cases of infectious diseases notified, against 23 per cent. for the metropolis. The deaths last year from these two diseases in London amounted to 2836. These deaths, although fewer by 646 than the number registered in 1893, nevertheless exceeded by 796 the average number in the ten preceding years, corrected for increase of population. THE MORTUARY. During the year 155 bodies have been removed into it from rooms inhabited, for the most part, by the living; and on 42 of these corpses Coroners' inquests have been held. ALLEGED SALE OF DISEASED MEAT. Mr. Hazell has stated in Parliament that a large quantity of diseased and unwholesome meat is sold in the Holborn District just beyond the area supervised by the Commissioners of Sewers. I trust, therefore, that you will allow me, as your Chief Meat Inspector from the opening of the Central Meat Market up to the end of October last, to assure Mr. Hazell and the public that such was not the case during the time I held office. It is true, however, that the Commissioners' Meat Inspectors have from time to time made allegations to that effect, but in no single instance have they substantiated them. Last year Inspector Terrett publicly stated that he had seen diseased carcases sold in Charterhouse Street, whereupon your Board promptly requested the Commissioners of Sewers either themselves 46 to inquire into the truth of the statement or to direct the Inspector to attend and prove his words before your Sanitary Committee. All the Commissioners would do was to permit Mr. Terrett to give his evidence to your Sanitary Committee. He was invited to attend on two or three occasions for this purpose, but failed to do so! The Corporation does not allow the visceral organs of animals, "offal"— i.e., sweetbreads, tongues, livers, kidneys, sheep and oxen heads, lungs, plucks, &c.—to be sold wholesale in the Central Market. The shops in that building can only be rented by carcase salesmen. This rule is not, I think, beneficial either to the public or to the poor. The consequence is that there are six or seven wholesale "offal" shops in our portion of the Market, and it may have happened that a few diseased livers, lungs, sheep and oxen heads have escaped the vigilance of your Inspectors, but no such case has ever been proved. Most of these offal salesmen sell on commission to retail butchers, and not, as stated, to the ignorant poor. They, as consignees, have but a very small pecuniary interest in dodging the meat Inspector, as the City Press states they do. This slanderous accusation is, I am convinced, utterly false, as regards both the carcase and the offal salesmen in your district. In a long and intimate experience I have not found them to be sharpers, tricksters or fraudulent dealers, as one would infer from the public press, but as honest, open and straightforward tradesmen as any in the City of London. Having acted as Pathologist to two large hospitals, I took pains, years ago, to acquaint myself with the diseases and morbid anatomy of oxen, sheep, and pigs, and did my best to instruct the Inspectors your Board appointed as my assistants. Three of these Inspectors are living, and will, as meat examiners, compare favourably with any of the City Inspectors. It is true that we have passed young calves and carcases which City men would have condemned as unfit for food. For instance, 26 fine oxen had their legs and other bones broken one Sunday morning in a railway smash at Ealing, which necessitated their being slaughtered and dressed on the spot by inexpert slaughtermen. The carcases of 22 of these were subsequently exposed for sale in the Central Market, and four in Charterhouse Street. They were not artistically dressed, and perhaps did not look nice. I unhesitatingly passed the four in your district as fit for food, but the 22 inside the Market, which were described by a notable and respected salesman "as the finest and healthiest meat he had ever seen," were seized and flung into the manure cart by the City Inspectors. I sincerely trust that a public inquiry, either by the Local Government or the Agricultural 47 Board, will be held on the subject of meat inspection, both inside and outside the Central Market. It would negative the exaggerations and bogies of imaginative and sentimental doctors, and, I believe, benefit stockowners and butchers. SANITARY WORK. The following is an abstract of nuisances abated, and the sanitary works performed between Lady-Day, 1894, and Lady-Day, 1895:— 227 Written complaints have received attention. 1897 Premises inspected and re-inspected. 2 Slaughter-houses visited (on the average six times each). 2 Cow-yards ditto (ditto ditto). The Bakehouses, 23 in number, have all been inspected and defects remedied. House to house inspections have been made in the following streets:— Jockey's Fields and whole of Italian Colony. In compliance of Notices 98 Houses have been repaired, cleansed, and lime-whited. 1 Cesspool has been emptied and filled up. 320 Water-closets have been reconstructed. 60 Closets have been supplied with water. 69 Houses have been supplied with water for domestic purposes. 58 New drains have been made. 20 Drains have been ventilated. 12 Yards have been re-paved. 60 Dust-bins have been provided and repaired. 75 Accumulations of refuse matter have been removed. 19 New water-closets have been constructed. 73 Water-closets have been cleansed and repaired. 17 Houses have had their overcrowding diminished. 129 Premises disinfected with sulphurous acid gas and carbolic acid after the occurrence of infectious diseases therein. 90 Illegal underground rooms have been closed. In the course of the year the Sanitary Inspectors have seized and destroyed as unfit for human food, 56 bodies of beef, 143 quarters of beef, 358 stone of beef, 280 ox heads, 280 ox plucks, 45 Dutch calves, 1153 Dutch calves' plucks, 38 sheep, 524 sheep's plucks and heads, 13 48 pigs, 22 legs of pork, 21 barrels of pig's kidneys and plucks, 6 cases of Dutch rabbits, 12 boxes of tomatoes, and 1 box of herrings. SMOKE NUISANCES AND ABATEMENTS. Inasmuch as smoke obstructs the light and health-giving rays of the sun, and increases the opacity and noxiousness of winter fogs, and thereby constitutes a very important and influential sanitary nuisance, I am pleased to record the diligent and systematic manner in which your Inspector carries out his duties. His yearly report is as follows:— "There are 54 furnaces and boilers on the register, and I make periodical inspections of them to see that they are in proper working order and consume their own smoke. There are 9 kinds of smoke consumers in use in the district, which are as follows:— Martin's Patent 5 D. Annan's „ 4 Nicholson's 4 Ventilated Doors 5 Juke's Patent 2 Galloway's ,, 2 Caddy's ,, Bars 2 Hyde's ,, 1 Watts' 1 Total of Smoke Consumers 26 "The number of furnaces and boilers without smoke consumers is 28. "During the year ending Lady Day, 1895, 4 preliminary notices were served, all of which have been complied with. "The owner of 24, Gray's Inn Road abated a smoke and sulphur nuisance arising from an open copper forge in the back yard of these premises by erecting a glass roof over the yard, and carrying an iron flue from the forge canopy into the chimney, thus carrying everything above the roof of the building. "The owner of 21, Eagle Street, abated a smoke nuisance arising from a blacksmith's forge by reconstruction of the chimney of same. This shop is now used as a wheelwright's. "During the rebuilding of the Homoeopathic Hospital a complaint was received from an inhabitant of Queen Square of a smoke and unpleasant 49 smell arising from the boiling of asphalte in pots belonging to the Val de Travers Asphalte Paving Company, Limited. A preliminary notice was served, and the pots removed to the centre of the building, thus abating the nuisance." Legal Proceedings under Public Health (London) Act, 1891. Locality. Penalty. Result. 38, Verulam Street fine. costs. Closing order granted. — — 43, Gloucester Street Summons adjourned 14 days on defendants undertaking to do the works. 10, Little Gray's Inn Lane — — Work done, summons withdrawn. 11 & 12, Peter's Lane 100/0 2/0 Order made. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful Servant, SEPTIMUS GIBBON, Medical Officer of Health. 36, Finsbury Pavement, E.C.. 15th May, 1895. TABLE I. MORTALITY and BIRTHS of the HOLBORN DISTRICT during the 52 weeks ending Saturday, December 31st, 1894. Localities. Population, 1891. DEATHS. ages at DeatH. causes of death. BIRTHS. Total Death. Children under 1 year of Age. Persons aged 60 years and upwards. Small Pox. Scarlet Fever. Measles Whooping Cough. Diphtheria. Diarrhœa. Typhoid (or Enteric) Fever. Typhus Fever. Cholera. Violence. Inquest Cases. Deaths in Public Institutions. Total Births. Uncertified. St.George-the-Martyr, including 250 non-resident in hospitals 17,921 588 151 52 ... ... 12 15 37 9 4 ... ... 11 24 364 404 ... St. Andrew's Eastern, including 62 in the workhouse 15,343 199 65 33 ... ... 9 7 ... 4 2 ... 1 9 25 22 428 ... General Total 33,264 787 216 85 ... ... 21 22 37 13 6 ... 1 20 49 386 832 ... In the year 1893 (52 weeks) ... 967 259 183 ... 4 22 15 54 25 11 ... ... 31 66 423 864 1 In the year 1892 ... 917 243 155 ... 5 32 13 36 33 4 ... 1 30 67 389 885 ... The the year 1891 ... 1058 250 158 ... 3 54 50 32 16 7 ... 1 32 77 384 917 1 Death-rate 19.84 to every 1000 of the population. TABLE II. DEATHS from Small Pox. Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Diarrhœa, and Low Fever, in the several Sub-Districts of the Holborn District, during the 52 weeks ending December 31st, 1894. Sub-Districts. Small Pox. Measles. Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria. Whooping Cough. Diarrhœa. Enteric Fever Sum of the Seven Diseases. St. George-the-Martyr and St. Andrew's Western ... 12 ... 37 15 9 4 77 St. Andrew's Eastern ... 9 ... ... 7 4 2 22 Totals for the year 1894 ... 21 ... 37 22 13 6 99 ... 22 4 54 15 25 11 131 Totals for the year 1892 ... 32 5 36 13 33 4 123 Totals for 1894, corrected by including Deaths of Residents in Hospitals outside, and excluding those of Non residents within, the District ... 23 ... 20 21 10 7 81 TABLE III. Cases of Sickness under the care of the District Medical Officers during the 52 weeks ending December 31st, 1894. 1st Quarter. Names of the Medical Officers. Small Pox. Chicken Pox. Measles. Scarlatina. Whooping Cough. Diarrhoea. Continued Fever. (Typhus and Typhoid.) Cholera. Erysipelas. Influenza. Puerperal Fever. Carbuncle. Acute Pulmonary Inflammation. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Dysentery. Diphtheria. Delirium Tremens. Insanity. Syphilis. Congenital Syphilis. Lead Poisoning. All Diseases. Bronchitis and Catarrh. Pleurisy. Pneumonia. Dr. Gabe ... ... ... ... 6 ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 52 ... 1 14 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 176 Mr. Taylor ... ... 8 1 6 ... ... ... 2 ... 1 ... 33 1 2 13 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 178 Dr. Gahagan ... ... 1 1 3 1 ... ... 2 4 ... ... 32 ... 1 5 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 149 Dr. Head ... 1 2 2 3 ... ... ... 2 6 ... ... 10 2 4 1 ... ... ... 1 1 3 2 ... 34 2nd Dr. Gabe ... 1 3 ... 4 3 ... ... ... ... ... 33 1 ... 6 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 154 Mr. Taylor ... ... 5 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 13 ... ... 16 ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... ... 133 Dr. Gahagan ... 1 1 1 ... 2 1 ... ... 2 ... ... 26 ... 1 8 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 125 Dr. Read ... ... 1 1 1 1 ... ... 3 1 ... ... 5 1 1 3 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 31 3rd Dr. Gabe ... ... 8 ... 8 8 ... ... 1 2 ... ... 23 2 4 14 ... ... 1 ... 1 2 ... ... 196 Mr. Taylor 1 4 ... 2 3 ... ... ... ... ... ... 22 ... 2 14 ... ... 1 ... ... 2 ... ... 122 Dr. Gahagan ... ... 6 1 3 2 ... ... 3 2 ... ... 21 ... ... 15 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 109 Dr. Read ... ... 1 2 ... 1 ... ... 1 3 ... ... 4 1 1 3 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 34 4th Dr. Gabe ... ... ... ... 19 1 ... ... 1 ... ... 60 1 ... 20 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 204 Mr. Taylor ... ... ... ... 8 3 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 25 ... ... 17 ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... 141 Dr. Gahagan ... ... 1 ... 4 ... ... ... ... 3 ... ... 24 3 ... 11 ... ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 130 Dr. Read ... ... 2 1 3 1 ... ... 2 4 ... ... 8 1 1 1 ... ... ... ... 1 1 2 ... 39 Total 1 3 43 10 70 27 1 ... 19 28 ... ... 391 13 18 161 ... ... 4 1 7 13 7 ... 1953 Corresponding weeks, 1893. 2 19 56 34 32 60 3 ... 95 73 ... 4 661 46 57 227 ... ... 4 16 20 30 14 4 24 61 Corresponding weeks, 1892. ... 7 47 29 34 90 2 ... 73 59 1 4 758 52 53 234 1 ... 2 16 18 24 12 5 2462